Fishing Report For Lake Thompson, SD

By Rick Seaman

March 28, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Lake Thompson Fishing Video
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Fishing Report Lake Thompson, SD

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Lake Thompson, SD

Walleye

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Ice fishing for walleye continues to be good at Lake Thompson, as it has since safe ice. Once the ice melts and the water warms, locals report good success early in the morning, and from dusk until well after dark. Spring and Fall are the best season for catching walleye shallow. In Summer and Winter, they like to school up in deeper water where they slow-cruise around flats and structure close to deep water. They primarily feed close to the bottom. Locals report spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners have been catching walleye all through the warm-water seasons.

Yellow Perch

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

Ice fishing for yellow perch is quite good now, but soon the ice will melt, and there will be a lull in the fishing. Jigs tipped with minnows, worms or plastics are catching the majority of perch here, through the ice or in warmer water. A healthy, stable population of yellow perch reside here, providing a steady food source for bass, walleye and northern pike, plus they provide fun fishing for anglers, as well as tasty table fare. Yellow perch are fun to catch and make a great fish fry.

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good

Crappie fishing has been decent through the ice this Winter, but should pick up quickly again this year once the water warms to 60 degrees or more. Spring is always the premiere time to be on the water for crappie as they move into shallow coves to spawn. Bridge pilings, brush, wood and vegetation are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Locals use fish finders to locate schools of crappie.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for smallmouth bass, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, bluegill, white bass, yellow perch and northern pike at Lake Thompson in South Dakota.

Lake Thompson is a 15,000-acre lake with over 40 miles of shoreline. Walleye fishing is a major draw here. Smallmouth bass, white bass, northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch are also popular, and plentiful. There are several nice boat landings, and areas to fish from shore

Primary fish species residing in Lake Thompson

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a South Dakota Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".